We have long known that patients who receive home health after hospital discharge get better outcomes and spend $15,000 less in healthcare over the following year.1 That’s compared to people who were offered home health but turned it down. Now we know, that even after a short hospital stay – with patients who are presumably less ill than most – home health still improves outcomes and saves money.
A first-of-its-kind study published in the American Journal of Managed Care measured outcomes for people after short hospital stays.2 Even among these people who would generally be considered not as sick or injured, visits from home health correlated with overall healthcare spending reduced by $2,272 per patient. This also suggests that patients had better health outcomes overall. Of course, traditional Medicare pays 100% for our home health services. Whenever seniors are stuck at home, recovering from injury or illness, ask about home health.
References
- Xiao R, Miller J, Zafirau W, et al. Impact of home health care on health care resource utilization following hospital discharge: a cohort study. The American Journal of Medicine. 2018; 131 (4): 395-407.
- Racsa P, Rogstad T, Stice B, Flagg M, Dailey C, Li Y, Sallee B, Worley K, Sharma A, Annand D. Value-based care through postacute home health under CMS PACT regulations. The American Journal of Managed Care. 2022 Feb 1;28(2):e49-54.
